Keep me safe
by vivid-heart
Summary: Ziva is awfully traumatized by something that happened at work, but who will she turn to, when the last thing she wants to show from herself is weakness? Tiva-ish, complete.
1. Chapter 1

The movie that he'd been watching for half an hour made him more and more bored every second. The plot was something about something who had something wrong with something, or at least that is what he got from it. Could it be more complicated?

Tony tilted his head and sighed. He was going to watch this movie, whatever it took out of him, even if it would bore him to death, he was going to watch it.

He opened another bottle of beer and rolled his eyes – again the main character was about to die, because she got a little too curious and again she was bleeding and screaming.

"Idiot, don't go to the basement! There are spooks down there," Tony said to the television and threw his hands in the air as a sign of frustration. The main character didn't listen to him, instead of that, she went to the basement - and yes, got traumatized by the spooks.

Just when he was putting his feet to the coffee table, he heard a anxious knock from the front door. Tony gazed at the clock on the wall. Who would wanna see him at 12 pm?  
>It could be McGee, he could come to pick up this movie that he rented to him – the movie that he said was really good and exciting and which Tony now bored to death by watching it.<p>

He put the bottle down and wiped his hands to his jeans. He took the movie covers from the floor and walked to the door.

"McGee, I've seen more excitement in you being quiet than in this movie!" he said as he opened the door wide open and the smile on his face faded away. It wasn't McGee standing at the door.

"Ziva. What are you doing here?" Tony asked and looked at the shivering woman in front of her. She was wearing her pajamas and some old slippers, nothing else. She looked like a mess and she was obviously cold.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

"No, I don't think I am," Ziva shook her head and Tony saw blood on her neck. His eyes went wide open and she tried so hard not to faint.

* * *

><p><strong>part one of my fic. don't know how many parts they'll be. and no, this first part is not very exciting, it's just a... a-little-bit-before thingy.<strong>  
><strong>and the idea of this is quite random, because i just started writing and couldn't stop.<strong>  
><strong>still don't own the ncis characters.<strong>  
><strong>hope you even tried to enjoy.<strong>

**- L**


	2. Chapter 2

Twenty-four hours earlier..

* * *

><p>Gibbs walked quickly down the stairs from MTAC. It was jut confirmed, that the four suspects that he was searching with his team for dealing drugs and using Marine Corps' money illegally were in a abandon house thirteen kilometers way from NCIS headquarters.<p>

Tony was sitting at Ziva's desk, telling her, how she should do her hair. McGee kept rolling at his eyes for these two and just how childish they could sometimes be.

"I am not wearing bigtails, DiNozzo!" Ziva frowned.

"Come one, I just wanna see how you look in Abby's hair style!" Tony said and smiled, "Come on, Ziva."

"No, Tony. I am not wearing pigtails," she shook her head and looked at Tony, who smirked at her, "Please do not say you are thinking of me in a miniskirt? The ones that Abby wears?" she asked and rolled her eyes.

Tony smiled widely, "Oh, Ziva I am -"

"No, he is not!" Gibbs slapped him into the back of his head, "Sit down at your own desk, DiNozzo!"

"I will, boss!" Tony said and ran to his place. He sat down and gazed at Ziva, who chuckled at him a little bit.

"Did we got a lead?" McGee asked.

"Yeah, pull out the pictures of the Bethesda crime scene," Gibbs ordered and McGee tapped his keyboard and put the pictures to the big screen.

"What about these pictures, boss?" McGee asked and walked beside him.

"That picture," Gibbs pointed to the right corner, to the fifth picture in the row, "Zoom in on that picture."

McGee did as he was told and looked at the photo that showed a bloody crime scene, two dead petty officers and a pretty much nothing else, at least not to him, "What about this picture?" he asked confusedly.

"You see right there?" Gibbs pointed to the background of the picture.

Tony and Ziva stood up and walked to look at the picture on the big screen. It seemed like none of them saw what Gibbs saw.

"Are you all blind?" Gibbs asked with a frustrated sound in his voice and smacked Tony at the back of his head.

"Ouch! Why did I just got slapped?" Tony rubbed his head and slapped McGee, "Hey!" he said and lifted his hand to hit Ziva's head.

"Do not even think about it," she said and McGee lowered his hand.

Tony smiled to him and smacked Ziva's head. She turned around and hit him to the stomach with her elbow. He bend over a little bit and frowned from the pain that she caused to him.

"Are you done?" Gibbs turned to his team.

McGee stopped laughing at his partner's pain, Tony straightened his back and Ziva lost her smile.

"Look at the picture," Gibbs said and pointed at the screen, "In the background. There is a house. See?"

McGee, Tony and Ziva looked closely at the screen for a while and then took a deep and surprised breath, once they saw the what Gibbs meant.

"What about that, boss?" Tony asked.

"They have been located to be there, the four marines that we haven't been looking for," Gibbs said and walked to his desk. He took his gun and his phone.

"Grab your gear," Gibbs said and made his way to the elevator. The rest of the team followed him.

"I still wish, you would try the pigtails," Tony broke the silence.

"Tony, I told you -" Ziva started, but Gibbs interrupted her by raising a finger and turning to Tony, "Do you want a new hairstyle? I can shave your head and slap you harder!" he said and stepped closer to his senior field agent, who stepped back with a nervous smile on his face, "Boss, you wouldn't do that... Would you?"

"DiNozzo," Gibbs said with a frustrated tone.

"Shutting up, boss," Tony said and lifted his hand and slid it across his mouth like he was zipping it up.

Gibbs turned around to face the elevators doors.

Ziva gazed at Tony, who frowned at her.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs says warningly.

"Sorry, boss," Tony said and spent the rest of the time in the elevator very quietly.

* * *

><p><strong>this is the next chapter. i still keep you in a tension or something like that.<strong>  
><strong>i don't still own ncis or the character.<strong>  
><strong>hope you even tried to enjoy.<strong>  
><strong>- L<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

They finally arrived to the abandoned house after a very quiet drive.

The house was bigger than they excepted, it was more like an very old mansion.

"I think Hefner will spent his last hours in here," Tony chuckled.

"Hefner?" Ziva asked and frowned a little bit.

Tony rolled his eyes at her, "Hefner? Hugh Hefner, the famous -""

"DiNozzo, shut up!" Gibbs looked at him with a frustrated gaze in his blue eyes.

"Will do, boss," Tony said and scratched his head, "I tell you later, Ziva."

She nodded absently.

"DiNozzo, David, the back entrance. McGee, you're with me," Gibbs cleared the orders and made everyone nod.

Ziva and Tony made their way through the back and McGee and Gibbs took the back entrance. When the inside of the house was cleared and three of the men arrested, they noticed that one of them was missing. Ziva told everybody that she was going to find him.

She sneaked quietly through a little path in the backyard. It lead to a small warehouse, that was almost as old as the mansion.

Ziva stopped when she saw a shadow against the ground, "NCIS, come on out!" she ordered.

The man on the warehouse didn't want to surrender, instead of that, he jumped out and attacked her. He pushed her to the ground and held a knife just few inches away from her neck.

She tried to push him away, but even for a Mossad assassin, this man was too powerful - and if she would move now, she would die. She would bleed to death very quickly, if he would get a chance to cut her enough.

"Stop. You don't wanna do this. You will be sitting in jail for the rest of your life," Ziva tried to talk the man away from the situation, but instead of listening to her, he smiled and cut her neck a bit with the tip of the knife.

Ziva shivered from the pain. She felt the warm blood on her neck and just how helpless she was. His smile widened when he noticed, that the woman under him was starting to get really scared. He was enjoying it.

Inside of the house, Gibbs looked around him and then turned to Tony, "Where's Ziva?" he asked.

Tony looked around himself and shrugged, "I don't know."

"She went to look for the fourth suspect from the warehouse in the backyard," McGee knew.

Tony looked at Gibbs with a suspicious look on his face, "I'll go check it out."

He rushed through the door and sneaked to the backyard. He froze for a second, when he saw Ziva and the suspect laying on the ground.

Tony pulled his gun when he saw the blood, "Freeze, dirtbag!" he said and pointed the gun to his back.

The suspect didn't stop, he raised the knife again and Ziva gazed at Tony, her eyes begged him to shoot the man on top of her.

* * *

><p><strong>... and i am the meanest human being. i leave you with this.<br>i don't own ncis, just to clear that up.  
>if you keep up, you'll see what happens...<br>**

**- L**


	4. Chapter 4

The suspect let out a chuckle. He looked at Ziva and cut her a little deeper. She squeaked a little bit and Tony didn't hesitate for a second and shot him two times to the back.

Ziva pushed the man away from her and breathed heavily.

"Ziva..." Tony stepped closer as Ziva pressed her neck, trying to control the bleeding.

"Boss!" he screamed and after a little while, Gibbs came running down, "What the hell happened, David?" he asked and looked at Ziva's face.

"I was surprised," she said quietly and took a deep breath.

"She need stitching up," Tony said and pointed the wound on her neck.

Gibbs looked at it and shook his head, "McGee!" he yelled.

"Yes, boss?" he came to them and looked at the rest of the team, "What happened?" he asked after seeing Ziva's wound.

"Drive the car here, she needs to go to the hospital," Gibbs said and McGee ran off to the car.

"It is not that bad, it is just -" Ziva tried to say, but Gibbs interrupted her, by telling her to shut it.

"What about the suspects, boss?" Tony asked.

"Me and McGee will take care of them, you get Ziva to the hospital," Gibbs said.

McGee drove the car near them and jumped off from the driver's seat. He ran to the rest of the team and helped Tony to get Ziva up. They walked her to the car.

"I do not think this is necessary, that -" Ziva started and sat down.

"It is. Buckle up," Tony said and closed the door. He walked on the other side of the car and sat on the driver's seat and started the car.

Ziva sat silently in her seat and pressed her wound. She could still feel the warm blood and she had a drumming headache. She gazed at Tony, who looked seriously at the traffic and the road ahead.

Neither of them didn't say a a word, until she was being stitched up and laying in a hospital bed.

"Are you angry at me?" Ziva wanted to know. She laid on the bed, because she was forbidden to move for couple minutes.

"No," Tony said quickly. He sat in a chair across the room and looked closely at Ziva, who didn't believe what he was saying.

"Are you like this because I got attacked?" she asked.

"Can we talk about this some other time?" Tony asked and changed his position in the chair. His head was slightly tilted to right and his left leg was over his right. He sighed deeply and looked anxious , he wanted to leave from the hospitals, he didn't really like them.

"What is wrong with this time?" Ziva ask and tried to stood up. Tony noticed this and rushed to push her back to the surface of the bed, "You are not supposed to be sitting yet, it's been only ten minutes," he said.

"I am fine," Ziva said and looked into his eyes - she saw the worry and concern in them.

"No, you're not. Just please, lay down," he asked and held her steady. Ziva sighed and relaxed.

"You shouldn't have went alone," Tony said and looked at the little, but deep wound on her neck and the couple stitches in it, "You should have asked someone to back you up."

"But I got it under control," Ziva said.

"Yeah? Was the getting cut -part also part of the plan?" Tony asked and stepped away from the bed. He crossed his arms to his chest and sighed, "What if something would have happened before I came"

"But nothing happened, I am fine!" Ziva tried to convince him, but he didn't fall for it, "What if, Ziva?"

"There is no need to think 'what if'! I survived and that is it!" She said and tried to sit up again. Tony moved closer to her and pushed her back, "No sitting," he said and held her down.

Ziva pushed his arm away and stood up, "Can we leave?"

"You are not supposed to -"

"I am fine, you see? I am not bleeding or dying! I am fine!" Ziva said and grabbed her jacket from the back of the same chair Tony was sitting before.

"Ziva!" Tony yelled and grabbed her hand, stopping her from leaving.

"What?" she turned to him and looked at his eyes. She was frustrated and wanted to leave, it was like she was trying to prove that everything was just okay and nothing really happened. But if she was okay, why was she feeling like this? Anxious, a little bit scared and nervous for a cut? She had gone through so much more worse.

Tony looked back at her and then lowered his gaze to her neck, "What if that starts to bleed suddenly?" he pointed out.

"It won't, I am fine. Can we leave?" Ziva asked.

"No, you need a doctor's approval before we can leave," Tony said.

"Tony..." she lowered her voice, "Let go of my hand."

He looked down and loosed his grip. She walked out the door – without anyone's approval. 

* * *

><p><strong>okay, she managed, but what will happen next? keep up, if you wanna know.<strong>  
><strong>no, still not owning ncis and yes, hope you tried to enjoy.<strong>

**- L**


	5. Chapter 5

Ziva sat behind her desk in the squadroom. She looked in front of her and fell deep into her thoughts. She had a recurring image of the suspect, laying on top of her and cutting her neck. She felt the stinging pain and the helplessness.

Tony looked at her from his desk and observed the absent look on her face.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked and Ziva dropped back to reality. She turned her dark gaze to Tony and tried to fake a smile, "I am fine," she said quietly.

"You don't believe that yourself," Tony said and stood up. He walked to Ziva's desk and sat on it. He looked at her face, it had this weird expression of shame and hopelessness.

"Please," Ziva smiled and looked away. She couldn't bare his gaze right now, not when it was looking right through her.

"Come on, Ziva, tell me what happened," Tony asked and made her sigh.

She took a moment, when before she opened her mouth. She told how surprised she was and how for a moment, she was completely at the suspect's mercy. And she remembered his smile – the satisfaction of having someone under his control.

Tony looked at her and tried to push away all the images he got from her story.

"And he cut me, with a sharp knife, and I – I couldn't..." Ziva said and cleared her throat, "I couldn't defend myself."

Tony's eyes screamed of how sorry he was for her, and she couldn't take that, "Stop looking at me like that," she said.

"Like what?" Tony asked.

"Like I am a child, who cannot do anything but to ask for help," Ziva explained, "You do not need to worry about me, I am fine. Stop hovering around me and questioning how I am. I am telling you this once, and only once, I am fine, DiNozzo, I am fine. Could you please now go away?" She said and pointed at his desk.

Tony rolled his eyes and moved to his desk, "If you say so," he mumbled as he sat down.

Gibbs came our from MTAC. He saw Ziva sitting at her desk. He walked down the stare, keeping his observing look in her.

"Ziva, what are you doing here?" he asked as he sat down to his chair.

"Work, I am more useful in here than at home," she said and ran her fingers through her hair.

"I thought that you would be at home," Gibbs reminded her.

"I would rather be in here," Ziva said and stood up, "I want to work, I am doing fine."

"So she says..." Tony mumbled from his desk. Ziva gave him a disapproving look to make him shut up.

"Gibbs," she started, but he raised a finger to make her quiet, "Go home, David," he ordered.

Ziva sighed, "No, Gibbs, you do not understand, I go crazy there, I have absolutely nothing to do," she said and hoped, that her boss would gave in and let her stay.

"Go home," he didn't gave in.

"Gibbs," Ziva insisted.

"Ziva," Gibbs said and stood up, "Go home."

She sighed and placed her hands to her hips and took a disapproving look to her face. She looked at Gibbs, like it would make him change his mind.

"Gibbs..." She started but went quiet, once he pointed the way to the elevators.

She took her jacket and her purse and stormed to the elevators.

"She is not happy," Tony noticed and shook his head.

"Neither am I, we have a new case. Dead gunnery sergeant in Rock Creek Park, grab your gear," Gibbs said and made Tony took his back bag. He looked around himself, "Where's McGoo?"

"Call him, tell him to meet us in the crime scene, and while you're calling him, call Ducky too," Gibbs said and walked to the elevators.

Tony picked up his phone and called his partner and the medical examiner. 

* * *

><p><strong>ziver is not amused. keep up and you'll see what happens.<strong>  
><strong>still don't own ncis and hope you even tried to enjoy.<strong>

**- L**


	6. Chapter 6

Ziva sat on her couch and hid her face to her hands. She sighed deeply and stood up. She walked to the kitchen and looked out from the window. Her eyes wondered on the view and she felt very wrestles.

She jumped a little bit, when she heard the knocking. She pulled her gun and sneaked to the door.

"Ziva?" A voice of a man asked from outside.

"McGee?" Ziva asked and opened the door, "McGee!" she said and her voice lighted up, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to check on you. How are you doing?" McGee asked and stepped in.

"Everyone is asking that same question and I have only one answer, I am fine," Ziva said and sat on the kitchen chair.

"You're hands are shaking," McGee noticed and looked at her, "You're not fine, Ziva."

She faked a quick smile, "McGee. Please. Just believe me," she said and hid her hands underneath the table.

"I can make you tea, it could calm you down a little," he suggested.

Ziva hesitated for a little while and then smiled, "Sure, thank you."

McGee stood up and started to make some tea. He boiled the water and it took a little while longer from him to find all the supplies that he needed.

"What have you lost now, McGee?" Ziva asked, when he looked at the nervous man, hovering around the kitchen.

"Mugs," McGee opened some cabinets.

"Top shelf," Ziva guided, when he opened the second cabinet from the right.

"Thanks," McGee sighed and took two mugs from the shelf. He sat down to the kitchen chair and placed one mug in front of Ziva and the other mug and the tea pot in front of himself. He poured tea for the both of them.

"Thank you," Ziva smiled quickly.

"How are you holding up?" McGee asked.

Ziva shook her head, "Stop asking that, I already answered."

"Then why you were opening the door with a gun if you are fine?" McGee asked.

Ziva was surprised McGee had noticed her gun, "Sometimes, I do that."

McGee tilted his head suspiciously, "No, you don't."

She smiled to the fact, that he could sometimes read her so easily, maybe it came from their long friendship.

"Do you want me to stay?" McGee asked.

Ziva sipped her tea and narrowed her eyes, "Why are you asking that?"

"Because I am worried, Ziva," he said and sipped his tea. It was too hot for him and he frowned, when he noticed something wrong with the taste, "What is this?"

"It is my own mixture, Tim," Ziva chuckled, "But you don't need to worry about it, it is good and healthy. And you do not need to worry about me either."

"Is that so?" McGee asked and felt his phone vibrating, "McGee," he answered.

"McGeek, it's Tony, where are you? Gibbs told you to come meet us in the crime scene at Rock Creek Park," Tony told him as tried to drive the car with one hand.

"Tony, I'm at Ziva's place and will be right there," McGee answered and stood up.

"Ziva's place? How is she doing?" Tony asked and almost lost all his focus to his driving.

"Ziva is..." McGee said and gazed at her, "She is..."

"I am fine, Tony! Stop asking that from me or from him!" Ziva screamed so that Tony could hear it at the other end of the line.

"Got that part, anyway, drag your ass here, probie, I think Gibbs forgot his morning coffee, he's really pissed," Tony said and before McGee could answer, he hung up.

"That was Tony, I need to go," he said and put the phone back to his pocked.

"Thank you for stopping by, Tim," Ziva opened the door for him.

"Call me, if you need anything," McGee said and made Ziva smile, "I will, Tim, thank you," she said and he made his way out.

Ziva locked the door and leaned towards it. She lowered to her knees and hid her face to her hands. She was scared – of something she didn't know, but could felt it coming.

* * *

><p><strong>and what possibly could be coming? keep on reading, and you'll see.<strong>  
><strong>but about this chapter; i love mcgiva. i love their friendship. it's just so pretty.<strong>  
><strong>still don't own ncis and hope you even tried to enjoy.<strong>

**- L**


	7. Chapter 7

Ziva laid in her bed and watched the shadows dancing at the ceiling. Her breaths were shallow and the air around her was cold, freezing.

She sat up and looked around herself, there was no one there, even though she could feel someone's presence. She could feel someone breathing and hovering around her, but still, no one was there.

Ziva walked to the kitchen.

She took a glass out of the kitchen shelf and poured water into it. She took a quick sip and heard a noise - someone else was in this house.

A blue, old vase dropped to the floor, breaking into little pieces and Ziva let out a scream. Whatever was in this house, it was scaring the hell out of her, she had to get out! She ran out of the door, leaving her keys, wallet and phone behind, she didn't need them now, she just needed to get out.

After running few blocks she stopped and took a breath. Her lungs were exploding and her heart was racing. What was happening to her? She was a trained assassin, acting like a scared little girl. What was this?

She tried to reach for her phone and realized, that she didn't have it with her. A panic crawled it's way to her mind and made her gasp for air.

Ziva looked around herself and suddenly she had no idea, where she was. Everything was blurry and she could feel the drumming head ache again. Her hands were shaking and she took a deep breath.

Then she felt it again – the warm blood on her neck. The wound reopened. Her eyes went wide open and she might have let out a cry. She was scared - a trained Mossad killer was scared.

* * *

><p><strong>okay, she is in deeep trouble. what will happen?<br>****still don't own ncis and hope you tried to enjoy. **

**- L**


	8. Chapter 8

Ziva sat on the ground and shivered. The cold air pierced it's way through her skin.

With two finger covering her wound, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and opened them again. She looked around herself to find any marks or signs she might recognize.

A cold statue of a woman, pouring water looked at her and Ziva knew, that she had seen it somewhere before.

Hope raised it's head and she stood up.

Light head and trembling legs that would give in at any second, weren't such a good combination, but she still started to walk, because she knew this street. No matter, where she had turned, she would always know this street and the house five blocks, turn right and eight blocks from here. That was the way to be saved – at least for tonight.

Half of the way, Ziva had to sit down and catch her breath. She had to put herself back together. Her legs could barely carry her weight and something inside of her head beat so hard, that she couldn't hear anything else but her racing heart and the drumming sound.

Finally she was there, at the door of the one that could help her tonight. She knocked on the door and it was opened with a wide grin, which faded away in a blink of a second.

"Are you okay? " Tony asked. It sounded innocent to her eyes and the best thing she had heard for a while.

"No, I don't think I am," she said with a shivering voice.

Tony saw the blood on her neck and his eyes opened wide.

And then everything faded to darkness – her whole body gave in. 

* * *

><p><strong>she is now at the place she was in the first chapter. how will it go from here?<strong>  
><strong>and who the hell was in her apartment? keep up and you'll see.<strong>  
><strong>don't own ncis and hope you tried to enjoy.<strong>

**- L**


	9. Chapter 9

Tony saw his partner collapsing and grabbed her in a blink of a second.

He laid her in his arms and looked at the wound. It was still bleeding, but not as much as the first time he saw it.

Tony lifted her up and carried her to the couch. Then he went to the kitchen and tried to find a band-aid or something like that to cover the wound and keep it sealed for at least till the next trip to the hospital.

He sat next to her and cleaned her wound before putting the band-aid in place. He lifted her head to his thigh and stroke her hair. And no matter how tense she had been, she now calmed down – relaxed her whole body under his touch.

Tony decided to let her sleep for a while and watch the movie till the boring end. He was going to watch it – or fell asleep trying – but he wasn't going to break his promise to McGee.

And once again the curiosity of the main character paid it's price – again she was in trouble and screaming her lungs out, "You're own fault," he said to the TV and shook his head, "Oh my God," he sighed.

Tony looked down, when he felt Ziva twitching. Either she was waking up or seeing a nightmare. The first guess was right and she sat up and gasped for air.

"Where am I?" she asked and looked around.

"You're at my place," Tony said quietly and made her turn around. He saw a glimpse of her scared mind and the frown of pain on her face.

"It's okay," he continued, "You made it here. How are you holding up?"

"I – I am..." Ziva stuttered.

"Fine? Yeah, right. That's what you said before and yet, here you are, falling on to the floor and bleeding. What the hell McGee do to you?" Tony asked.

"Nothing, Tim did nothing. I just – I just..." she tried to form words, but failed.

"Ziva," Tony cupped her right cheek and smiled, "It's okay."

She looked at his eyes and wanted so badly to explain how she ended up here, but how could she explain the weird noises and running on the street without a good knowledge of where she was?

"Ziva," Tony said and let his arm fell down, "Just tell me, how are you?"

"Tony, I am -"

"I swear, if you say that you are fine, I'm gonna kick your ass back to the street," Tony warned and made her laugh a little. A weight dropped off his heart. If he could make her laugh, she would make a total recovery.

"I'm... okay," she chose another word, "Good enough?"

"I can live with it," Tony looked at the clock on the wall, "Jeez, it's that late already?" he asked and looked around himself and then Ziva.

"You can take the bed and I take the couch," he said and made her shook her head. Of course she would say no, she wouldn't be her, if she would just say yes.

"Bed, now, go," Tony didn't take no for an answer as he closed the DVD-player and put the TV into a sleep mode.

Ziva was going to refuse another time, but she was too tired to do that. She stood carefully up and just when she was about to fell down again, Tony took a grip out of her arm, "Are you gonna pass out again?" he smirked and made her smile. She was smiling to the fact, that he was here. He took care of her and cracked jokes to make her feel better. It was the side of him, that she rarely got to see.

"Wait," he said and walked to the drawer. He went through his clothes for a little while and then threw something to Ziva, "There you go," he said, when she caught the old t-shirt that he had thrown to her.

"I think you had some clothes here, but I think I have no idea where they are," he confessed and covered his eyes, "You can change now. I won't look."

Ziva chuckled and shook her head. He was somehow going to peak, he always managed to do it and this time was no different. He looked at the reflection of the mirror, as she took off her pajamas and replaced it with his old t-shirt. His thighs were bare and if she would bend over just a little bit he could see her -

"What is this?" she pointed to the huge black stain of whatever-it-was on the shirt.

Tony dropped back to reality and turned around, "Oh, that... An accident."

"Of what kind?" Ziva looked suspicious.

"The food -kind. I was eating and I think I spilled... something on the shirt," he scratched his head smiling.

"Do I want to know what is this?" she looked at the stain and his partner.

"No, I don't think you want to, but if you somehow happen to find out, tell me what it was, because I really don't know," Tony said and looked at his drawer, "But do you wanna change the shirt?"

Ziva shook her head, "It's fine."

"Okay, then," he said and took the covers out of the bed, "Climb in," he said and smiled.

Ziva smiled back and climbed on to the bed. She lied down and tried to relax herself.

Tony pulled the covers over her body and tucked her in, "Comfortable?" he asked and she nodded.

"Okay, if you need me, I'm on the couch. Goodnight, sweetcheeks," he smirked a little bit.

"Stop calling me that," she said, "And goodnight,".

He started to leave, but stopped when he felt her hand grabbing his. Tony turned to her and saw the begging gaze in her eyes. She wanted so badly him to stay, but couldn't admit it out loud, she let her eyes screamed it instead.

Tony smiled quickly and lied down beside her. He took a deep breath and looked at her, "Better?" he asked.

Ziva turned to him and smiled, "Thank you."

"No problemo, sweetcheeks," he said and smirked.

Ziva hit him lightly with her elbow and smirked back, "I told you to stop calling me that."

"It's a habit," Tony shrugged.

"Cut it, while you are still alive," Ziva warned and made him laugh, "I try, but I'm not promising anything."

They fell into a silence and looked at the ceiling. Ziva noticed that she was still holding his hand in hers. Tony noticed it too, but didn't seem to mind.

"Tony," Ziva broke the silence.

"Ziva," he said back, unsure of what he was supposed to say next.

"Back in the mansion or whatever it was and when I went to the warehouse..." Ziva started and turned to him, "I should have taken someone to back me up," she admitted.

"Told you so," he said and smiled, "Next time do so."

Ziva moved closer to him and pressed a kiss to his temple, "Thank you," she whispered and molded herself against him. She stretched her arm across his chest and wrapped her legs around his.

Tony went speechless for a while, which was rare to a man, who always seemed to have words for every situation. He mumbled something and rested his hand on her side.

Tonight, she was safe. Tonight, she was with him.

* * *

><p><strong>she's safe and everything is so pretty. but everything isn't done yet.<strong>  
><strong>what was in her house that scared the bejesus out off her?<strong>  
><strong>don't own ncis, hope you tried to enjoy.<strong>

**- L**


	10. Chapter 10

The morning broke earlier than Tony had expected.

He stretched his arm to reach Ziva, but he's hand was reaching to a empty spot beside him.

Tony sat up and looked around himself. Where was she?

He walked to the living room and then to the kitchen and there she was, sitting on the counter and looking out the window.

"Ziva?" he asked and walked to her.

She turned her gaze to him and smiled briefly, "Hey."

"Why are you up already?" he asked and sat on the counter next to her.

"I couldn't sleep," she explained looked at the floor.

"Nightmare?" Tony asked and looked at her profile, it looked tired, absent and sad.

Ziva turned her gaze to him, "Yes."

"You could have woken me up," Tony said and stood up. He walked between her legs and placed his hands on her thighs. He looked at her dark eyes and smiled, "Ziva, you should have woken me up."

Ziva moved closer to him. She gazed at his lips and his eyes. She felt his touch on the skin that his old t-shirt left bare. Just inch from a kiss, she pushed him away and dropped to her feet.

She walked to the living room and left him leaning towards the counter. He sighed deeply and followed her. He sat on the couch, where she was already sitting with her legs pulled to her chest.

"Are you hiding something?" Tony asked and stretched his legs to the coffee table.

"What would I be hiding?" her voice sounded innocent.

"I don't know," Tony said and looked at her, "Hey, are you gonna stay here for a while?"

"Why?" she asked.

"I have a movie to watch and it is more boring than you'd think, but you could keep me company," he suggested, "I did, after all, take care of you."

Ziva bit her lip and nodded, "Fine."

Tony pressed play and the movie started rolling on the screen.

"What is the idea of this?" Ziva asked and leaned towards her fist.

"To kill your nightmares with boredom," Tony said quietly and kept his gaze at the TV screen when Ziva turned to look at him, "What did you say?" she asked.

"I said, that I don't know what is the idea of this movie," he twisted his words to hide what he really had just said to her.

"Tony..." she started, but lost her words when he looked at her.

"Ziva," he leaned towards her and watched her smile widening slowly, "Watch the movie and try to make sense about it so that I can comment something about it to McGeek," he said and leaned back.

She frowned, "Cheater."

He chuckled, "Maybe."

Ziva smiled and shivered. Tony noticed it and walked to the hallway. He came back a while later with a blanket. He covered her body with it, "Better?"

She was surprised again with this tender, caring side of him, "Yes, much. Thank you."

"No problemo, sweetcheeks," he said smirking and waited for her to lightly punch him to the shoulder because he called her that, but she didn't. Instead of that, he felt her lips on his cheek.

"Thank you, my little hairy butt."

* * *

><p><strong>pointless morning after but i really miss tiva and i wanna write. so yeah...<strong>  
><strong>they'll visit the house soon and then we'll see what was in there.<strong>  
><strong>and then the fic will be kinda like over. maybe...<strong>  
><strong>don't own ncis, hope you even tried to enjoy.<strong>

**- L**


	11. Chapter 11

"I do not think this is necessary," Ziva looked at Tony in front of her house.

"I do," he said and nodded towards the door, "Open it."

Ziva looked at the door and pushed it, "It's open. I forgot to lock it," she looked at Tony.

He shook his head, rolled his eyes and stepped in. He walked down the hallway and looked around himself, "So what did you say happened again?"

"The vase fell and broke into pieces. The blue one in the living room," she said and Tony walked to check what happened to the vase. It was indeed broken to little pieces. He lowered to his knees and looked around himself, "Ziva?" he asked.

"What?" she asked and took a deep breathe before walking to the living room. She looked around and then at him, "What is it?"

"It did broke, but do you by chance happen to have a..." Tony held his breath.

"What? Happen to have what?" Ziva asked.

Tony tried to keep his poker face, "You happen to have a... cat?" he said and let a few chuckles out.

"A cat?" she looked at him like he was crazy.

"Look into the corner," Tony pointed to the space between a wall and a couch.

Ziva stepped a little closer to him to share his view and cracked a smile, "Indeed - a cat," she said and burst into a laugh.

"Yeah, it's a cat! Our ninja is afraid of a cat!" he laughed with her. He changed his position and sat on the floor.

Ziva looked at the cat, who purred quietly on the corner and yawned, "My neighbor got a cat a little while ago, it must have somehow gotten in here," she guessed.

Tony looked at her and the relieved look on her face. He was glad to see that expression, he was happy to see her like this.

"Ziva?" he asked and smiled briefly before he went serious, "How are you now?"

"I am fine, Tony," she said and smiled.

"Ziva, I told you -"

"Tony, really, I am fine," she convinced him and sat on the couch, "I am fine."

Tony stood up and sat next to her. He patted her thigh and smiled, "I'm glad you're fine."

Ziva leaned against his shoulder and smiled widely. The mystery was solved and she was feeling a lot better.

"How's the wound?" Tony asked.

Ziva pressed it lightly and looked at his eyes, "It's not bleeding."

"That is progress," he said and looked at his clock, "Oh, it's that late, we have to go now. Your appointment with the doc can't wait. Let's get you stitched up again."

Ziva took the car keys and swung them in front of Tony's face, "I drive."

"I think after that I'll need some stitching up," he smirked and got a light punch to his stomach.

* * *

><p><strong>a little kitten made it's way to ziver's house - nothing more special. yes, i am very familiar of just how idiotic this all sounds now.<strong>  
><strong>one more chapter to go. thanks for sticking by this long, stick through one more.<strong>  
><strong>don't own ncis and hope you even tried to enjoy.<strong>

**- L**


	12. Chapter 12

Two days later...

* * *

><p>McGee sat on his desk and checked his email. He was waiting for a finger print results from Abby. She was supposed to send it already and he was too anxious to wait.<p>

"McGee," he heard a woman's voice calling his name. He lifted his head up and smiled.

"Ziva!" he's voice light up as he saw her sitting behind his desk, "You're back," he stood up and walked to her.

Ziva hugged him and sat down on her chair, "Before you ask, I am doing fine."

"Oh, good!" McGee smiled and leaned towards her desk, "You didn't pick up your phone the other night."

Ziva flash backed to the night she wondered in street and ended up at Tony's place, "I didn't have it with me at the time."

"Where were you?" McGee asked.

Tony stepped outside of the elevator and grinned to both of them and sat behind his desk, "Probies."

"I was with him," Ziva answered and kept her gaze on Tony. He looked back at her and raised an eyebrow.

McGee looked both of them and tilted his head, "What did you do?"

"Slept together," Tony said and grinned at Ziva.

McGee's eyes widened, "Excuse me?" he asked.

"He's teasing you, Tim," Ziva said before Tony could say anymore. She narrowed her eyes, "Don't mind him."

"So what did you guys do?" McGee asked.

Tony stood up and searched something from his back bag. He it out and walked to McGee, "We bored to death while watching this," he said and gave him his movie back.

"You call that exciting?" Tony asked.

"What? You didn't think it was exciting?" McGee asked and looked at the covers and then Tony, "It's very good!"

Tony gazed at Ziva and rolled his eyes. He slapped McGee to the back of his head, "You need to turn to the classics or stick with your computer games, McNerd."

"Tony, did you understand the idea of this movie?" McGee rubbed his head.

Tony smiled and nodded, "Of course."

"What was it?" McGee asked and knew, that he caught Tony. He didn't have the slightest glue what was the plot really about.

Ziva tried not to laugh, when she looked at them. McGee was confidently smirking and Tony looked at him with an unamused look on his face.

"It was – about the chick who went to the basement and got... spooked," Tony tried to say something.

"No, Tony. The main idea of the movies is, that -"

"Is that the whole movie is a dream. And in the end the woman wakes up and nothing has really happened. She just saw a dream - or a nightmare perhaps would be the better choice of words," Ziva said.

Tony and McGee turned to her and watched the smile on her lips.

"We watching it together," Tony said and looked at McGee, "I wanted my misery to have company."

"You are annoying," McGee breath out dryly.

"He got that part right," Gibbs walked pass them and sat on his desk.

"Boss, why would you say that?" Tony asked and sat on Ziva's desk.

"You figure it out yourself, DiNozzo," Gibbs said and tapped something to his computer. He's focus was turned from his senior field agent to his paperwork, that'd been laying on the desk for days.

"I'm glad you're back, Ziva," McGee said and smiled, before sitting back behind his desk. He checked his email, but the message he wanted wasn't there, so he went straight to Abby's lab to find out what was taking so long. The reason why the email was late, that Abby forgot to click the send-button.

Tony turned his gaze to Ziva and smiled, "You did pay attention to the movie."

"I did," she said smiling secretively, "And I figured out something else too."

Tony leaned closer to her with a grin on his lips, "And what is that?"

"Strawberry," she said.

Tony lifted his eyebrow, "What?"

"The stain on the shirt that I slept in – it's strawberry jam," Ziva explained and made him smile, but the smile wasn't because of the fact, that she had figured out the stain – it was because she was back again. She was sitting right where she belonged and smiled like nothing ever happened, even though just days ago he had a big responsibility of her. He got to take care of his partner.  
>And he knew, that he would do it all over again, if she would ever need it. <p>

* * *

><p><strong>that is it. we are done with this fic. thanks for reading it and thanks for all the reviews.<strong>  
><strong>i'm working with another brand new idea. don't know about the publishing schedule yet though, it depends how it works out.<br>****don't own ncis and hope you tried to enjoy.**

**- L**


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